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New batteries overheating when on charge


Eloisec93

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Hi 

We recently bought 3 new leisure batteries as the old ones were not holding any charge.

 

We have plugged in to hook up to charge the batteries as they weren't even half full on our solar charge control.

 

But every time we we plug in the hook up to the battery charger the battery charger beeps saying the batteries are over heating.

 

Is it something we have done wrong? What is causing the batteries to over heat when on charge?

 

What are the dangers of over heating batteries?

 

We have a sterling power product battery charge controller 

And we have fitted 3 new leisure batteries from halfords Voltage: 12V with Capacity 115Ah

 

im getting very stressed and worried because I don't want overheating batteries but also I don't want them to drop below 12v

Edited by Eloisec93
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Have you actually got a heat sensing device connected to your batteries, have you felt the batteries to see if they are actually warm. ??

 

If they are, it may be they have not been topped up prior to sale(this happens), and you may need to add some distilled water...intake them back as you may have damaged them already. 

Edited by matty40s
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Just now, matty40s said:

Have you actually got a heat sensing device connected to your batteries, have you felt the batteries to see if they are actually warm. ??

 

If they are, it may be they have not been topped up prior to sale(this happens), and you may need to add some distilled water...

Yes we have a heat sensor connector to the batteries that monitors the heat of the batteries and their outer casing.

Both these temperatures show up on our battery charge controller 

The batteries are around +45degrees and the outer casing +22degrees when on charge 

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Halfrauds is probably not the best place to buy a domestic battery bank. However, if you have damaged the batteries and have proof of payment then one good thing about that particular retailer is that they'll probably exchange them if you're not satisfied in any way (i.e. if you claim that the batteries were defective).

 

One other thought: Most sterling charge equipment has battery type settings for wet lead/acid, sealed, AGM, etc. If your previous batteries were open wet lead/acid and the new ones are sealed and you haven't changed the charger settings then you may be charging at too high a max voltage (14.8v rather than 14.4v) and that might be causing the issue? On the other hand it might have nothing to do with it, but it's worth checking.

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13 hours ago, Eloisec93 said:

Yes we have a heat sensor connector to the batteries that monitors the heat of the batteries and their outer casing.

Both these temperatures show up on our battery charge controller 

The batteries are around +45degrees and the outer casing +22degrees when on charge 

I'm not familiar with your charge controller but I'd assume that one sensor should monitor casing temperature and the other ambient. Where have you put your sensors?

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11 minutes ago, Onewheeler said:

I'm not familiar with your charge controller but I'd assume that one sensor should monitor casing temperature and the other ambient. Where have you put your sensors?

Good question. Some chargers have the sensor directly connected to the negative battery post. I guess this allows the possibility of a high resistance connection to that post, locally raising the temperature when current is flowing.

 

Best to check all battery connections are clean and tight, especially the one on which the temperature sensor is located. Does the actual temperature sensor /what it’s mounted on, feel hot?

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2 hours ago, nicknorman said:

Good question. Some chargers have the sensor directly connected to the negative battery post. I guess this allows the possibility of a high resistance connection to that post, locally raising the temperature when current is flowing.

 

Best to check all battery connections are clean and tight, especially the one on which the temperature sensor is located. Does the actual temperature sensor /what it’s mounted on, feel hot?

Yes, that's a possibility. I had at the back of my mind the thought of a sensor poked down a fill plug hole into the plates!

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27 minutes ago, Onewheeler said:

Yes, that's a possibility. I had at the back of my mind the thought of a sensor poked down a fill plug hole into the plates!

Its an insulated 2 wire thermocouple usually in a standard cable lug that is bolted onto a battery post like a connection. As it monitors the temperature of the lead lug or post it can get hot if the power lead on that connection is poorly connected. This could be what you are seeing here.

Edited by Boater Sam
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7 hours ago, Boater Sam said:

Its an insulated 2 wire thermocouple usually in a standard cable lug that is bolted onto a battery post like a connection. As it monitors the temperature of the lead lug or post it can get hot if the power lead on that connection is poorly connected. This could be what you are seeing here.

I definitely think it's the heat sensor playing up. It's very annoying all I want to do is charge my new batteries and make sure they don't go under 12v ???

 

I've move the heat sensor completely away from the batteries and the charge controller is still saying over heating 

 

The heat sensor is just a wire with a metal bit on that sits underneath the battery (see picture)

 

I'm gunna have a go at disconnecting all the batteries and reconnecting them properly. Or perhaps I need to fit a new temperature sensor. But I wouldn't really know where to start with that 

 

 

temp.jpg

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18 minutes ago, Eloisec93 said:

I definitely think it's the heat sensor playing up. It's very annoying all I want to do is charge my new batteries and make sure they don't go under 12v ???

 

I've move the heat sensor completely away from the batteries and the charge controller is still saying over heating 

 

The heat sensor is just a wire with a metal bit on that sits underneath the battery (see picture)

 

I'm gunna have a go at disconnecting all the batteries and reconnecting them properly. Or perhaps I need to fit a new temperature sensor. But I wouldn't really know where to start with that 

 

 

temp.jpg

12 volts are flat batteries. If u regularly take them down as low as 12 volts bin them they will be knackered. 

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6 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

12 volts are flat batteries. If u regularly take them down as low as 12 volts bin them they will be knackered. 

12 volts is closer to a 50% SOC than flat, so not the end of the world you suggest.

 

12.2v is often suggested as 50% SOC, and the rule about not going less than 50% is an arbitrary rule anyway. In fact, in your world of use them then throw them away, 12V might actually not be a bad rule :) 

 

I think the best advice for the OP is to forget about temperature monitoring and disconnect it.  Most chargers assume a temperature if the monitor isn’t connected - I think it’s usually around 25C.

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48 minutes ago, Richard10002 said:

12 volts is closer to a 50% SOC than flat, so not the end of the world you suggest.

 

12.2v is often suggested as 50% SOC, and the rule about not going less than 50% is an arbitrary rule anyway. In fact, in your world of use them then throw them away, 12V might actually not be a bad rule :) 

 

I think the best advice for the OP is to forget about temperature monitoring and disconnect it.  Most chargers assume a temperature if the monitor isn’t connected - I think it’s usually around 25C.

If u take batteries down to 12 volts on a regular basis they will be knackered very quickly. Especially if not fully charged immediately they get as dreadfully low as 12 volts. End of. 

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2 hours ago, Eloisec93 said:

I definitely think it's the heat sensor playing up. It's very annoying all I want to do is charge my new batteries and make sure they don't go under 12v ???

 

I've move the heat sensor completely away from the batteries and the charge controller is still saying over heating 

 

The heat sensor is just a wire with a metal bit on that sits underneath the battery (see picture)

 

I'm gunna have a go at disconnecting all the batteries and reconnecting them properly. Or perhaps I need to fit a new temperature sensor. But I wouldn't really know where to start with that 

 

 

temp.jpg

Smelly is right.

You will wreck you batteries if you are just thinking that keeping them over 12.0V will keep them 'fit'. If you let them go down to 12.2V then make sure you get them back to 100% ( as measured by tail current) within a few days or they will be toast in double quick time.

It sounds to me that your temp sensor is bust if it is still reading high when off the battery. Leave it off and charge to 100% by watching voltage and Amps. You do have an Ammeter don't you? If not then you cannot estimate when you are at 100% and doomed to replacing your batteries on a regular basis.....i.e. < 2 years. 

Read the battery primer thread. Do a search for it if you have not heard of it. 

Please give us some voltage and Amps readings during charge and we can advise.

 

 

eta... you don't need a temp sensor.

Edited by Dr Bob
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28 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

If you took the temperature sensor off the battery and you still get a high temperature alarm you will know its a sensor problem. 

I think he’s done that. If it’s a Sterling charger it will/should work without the temp sensor connected. He should disconnect it completely and get the batteries charged up.

 

The chances of having to worry about heat are slim. If concerned, just feel the sides every 30 minutes.

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2 hours ago, Richard10002 said:

I think he’s done that. If it’s a Sterling charger it will/should work without the temp sensor connected. He should disconnect it completely and get the batteries charged up.r

 

The chances of having to worry about heat are slim. If concerned, just feel the sides every 30 minutes.

This ^^^^
I know it might seem obvious, but The temperature sensor needs to be removed at the charger end, not just removed from the battery.

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5 hours ago, Slim said:

Has anyone asked what the battery voltage is (using a digital meter) when on charge (Sterling))

I did suggest earlier that the maximum voltage might be too high if the battery type settings on the sterling wasn't set correctly, but I don't think the OP has told us what voltages he's getting from the charger.

Edited by blackrose
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12 hours ago, Eloisec93 said:

I definitely think it's the heat sensor playing up. It's very annoying all I want to do is charge my new batteries and make sure they don't go under 12v ???

 

I've move the heat sensor completely away from the batteries and the charge controller is still saying over heating 

 

The heat sensor is just a wire with a metal bit on that sits underneath the battery (see picture)

 

I'm gunna have a go at disconnecting all the batteries and reconnecting them properly. Or perhaps I need to fit a new temperature sensor. But I wouldn't really know where to start with that 

 

 

temp.jpg

Your stated method of use, is very different to the instructions shown in the photograph.

Is the photo of the sensor the actual one you have?

 

Bod

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